Deshorn Brown jumped on the back of DillonPowers after Powers’ goal this season against the Portland Timbers in March. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

It was all but a formality until Wednesday: Rapids first-year standouts Dillon Powers and Deshorn Brown were named finalists for the MLS rookie of the year award.

In a season that saw an enormous Colorado revamp — the Rapids went from being the oldest team in MLS in 2012 to the youngest in 2013 — part of the turnover came from the MLS draft.

That’s how the Rapids landed striker Brown, the sixth pick from the University of Central Florida, and Powers, the No. 11 pick from Notre Dame.

Brown finished as the team’s leading scorer this season with 10 goals. And Powers was second in goals (5) and assists (6).

The third finalist for the award — which will be announced Nov. 25 — is Seattle defender Deandre Yedlin. Seattle knocked Colorado out of the MLS playoffs earlier this month.

But Powers may be the leading candidate for the award. His position as holding midfielder solidified the Rapids’ spine this season and his consistent form came over a large part of the season.

It’s an MLS formality, though, that only first-year professional players qualify for rookie of the year awards. Colorado also fielded first-year MLS standouts Clint Irwin in goal and defender Chris Klute.

Also this week, Rapids 19-year-old defender Shane O’Neill (in his second season) was nominated for U.S. Soccer’s Athlete of the Year award. He joins Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Shaquell Moore (IMG Academy), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC), and Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew) as the nominees. That award will be announced Nov. 26.